After the bilateral Strategic Dialogue meeting in Islamabad today, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton announced several government-to-government partnerships with Pakistan that will strengthen cooperation in new information technologies, enhance mutual understanding between our diplomats and support the preservation of Pakistan’s national heritage. The projects include:

Information Systems Data Center: The U.S. will work in partnership with the Ministry of Information Technology to deploy a Tier IV data storage and information systems service delivery platform for the Government of Pakistan – enabling common email, word processing, standard data exchange and other business process applications. The project will enable, for the first time, a Pakistan government-exclusive e-mail domain and will enable centralized hosting of all government web sites. The adoption of common applications will enable paperless working, enhanced government accountability and audit capability and government – to – business and government – to - citizen services.

Electronic Citizen Services: The U.S. will work in partnership with the Ministry of Information Technology to launch a set of electronic citizen services to enable Pakistani citizens to engage their government for common public services using broadband and mobile phones messages. The initial group of four or five services will bring government to citizen interaction into the electronic era, yielding both cost and time savings.

Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation – Historic Archives Preservation: In partnership with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the U.S. will support the digitization and professional archiving of Radio Pakistan’s music library. The Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation’s sound archives is a repository of priceless recordings that document the nation’s history and culture. Two million minutes of archives currently held on degrading magnetic tape will be digitized for access, with materials including the recorded speeches of Pakistan’s founder, M.A. Jinnah, former Presidents and Prime Ministers and pioneers of the Independence movement as well as interviews with celebrities, historians, scientists, intellectuals and music from all regions of Pakistan.

Historic Preservation – Sheikhupura Fort, Southern Punjab: The U.S. Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation has agreed to support a three-year project with the Ministry of Culture to restore, conserve and protect the Sheikhupura Fort in Punjab. The site incorporates architectural and cultural elements from both the Mughul and Sikh eras and dates back to the early 17th century. In addition to highlighting Mughul architecture, the Fort also houses prime examples of Sikh fresco work in the Punjab.

Foreign Service Scholarship Program: In partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the U.S. will contribute to strengthen mutual understanding between our diplomats and provide advanced professional training for Pakistani Foreign Service officers in the United States. The United States and Pakistan will support four scholarships for Pakistani Foreign Service officers to attend American university programs in international relations and diplomacy for one year in a program managed by our bilateral Fulbright Commission and the U.S. Educational Foundation in Pakistan. Pakistan’s entry-level Foreign Service officers will also participate in a U.S. study tour.